Iowa jobless rate shrinks to 5.1 percent

State adds 6,000 jobs in October, the most since February

12:42 AM,
Nov. 21, 2012

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Iowa's employment picture improved in October, with the state adding 6,000 jobs and its unemployment rate shrinking to 5.1 percent.

The largest gains came from the leisure and hospitality industry, adding 2,600 jobs over September, followed by education and health services, with 1,800 more positions, and manufacturing, bumping 1,500 jobs higher.

Iowa's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.2 percent in September. A year ago, the state's unemployment rate was 5.8 percent, an Iowa Workforce Development report showed Tuesday. The state said the October jobs increase was the ...